Apple Pie

So, last year when we made 40 qts of applesauce with the Bajus', Mr. Ryder mentioned apple pie. being his favorite. Every since then it has been on my to-do list to find a spelt flour pie crust recipe, and make him a pie.

I finally got around to it the afternoon.

Some things I learned:

There is definitely a reason they recommend putting foil around the edges.
It might be a GREAT idea to put a pan under the pie to catch the over flow.
A rolling pin really is the best thing to use when trying to roll out pie crust.

As you can see, I cut off the edges. They were black.

In the bottom right corner of the picture is a corner of a picture of Betty Crocker's apple pie, verses my apple pie. I think I did pretty good for my first ever pie crust!

A Lesson from my 21 month old

Saturday was the most beautiful day we have had all year. On Saturdays, if we can help it, we do nothing but the bare essentials. We don't do dishes, try not to cook, etc. No, we are not legalistic, this is our Family Day (Saturdays are) and we feel these things take away from family time.

Anyway, we went for a walk with the girls. It was too beautiful a day to NOT go for a walk. CMTS has a pond on the property, so we walked down there. As we were coming back, Shalom started to pick up sticks (she had heard us talking about needing wood for our cookout later in the day). And then she noticed this big rock, and to her...it was a treasure, and she wanted to take it home. Being the loving parents we are, we refused to carry her treasures - if she wanted them, she would have to carry them!

Josh estimates that she carried that rock, and those sticks an eighth of a mile before she started to realize this wasn't going to work out. She knew something would have to give, because we were coming to a road, and she would have to hold our hands. Not to mention...that rock was pretty big and was getting heavy! Josh went back to help with the situation...he showed her how to put the sticks in her pockets, but she would have to either carry the rock herself, or drop it.

We kept walking, and finally, Shalom dropped the rock. She didn't try to pick it up, but she did start crying. That rock was a treasure to her, and she had to make the decision of whether or not it was worth it to carry the rock (which probably got heavier with each step her little 21 mo. old legs took) all the way home (1/4 to 1/2 mile), or was she going to leave the heavy weight behind her?

I know. I am adding a bit of drama to this situation. Did those thoughts REALLY go thru her mind about leaving a burden behind or carrying it all the way home?

On some level, I believe it did. It broke Shalom's heart to put the rock/burden down and leave it behind. To her, it was a treasure (I told Josh, "It isn't even a PRETTY rock!!!"). She cried for a good five minutes, and whimpered several more after putting down the rock.

I can see SO many comparisons in this note to a lot in my life. But I won't taint your thoughts with my situations. I would rather you glean and apply this to your life, without my views stepping in.

Shalom has a new bed!

CMTS is donated stuff ALL the time. Last weekend, Josh was supposed to go up the hill behind our house to find something that needs to go the Belize. Ruth calls it "Up Hill." While Papa was "Up Hill" he found, in one of the many storage containers up there a little toddler bed. He and I had been commenting for days on how Shalom was really growing too tall for her Pack 'N Play, and needed a bed. Josh had even contemplated MAKING her a bed.

Shalom loves her new bed! She cuddles into her pillow, and goes to sleep quite quickly these days. She knows this is a Big Girl bed, and she knows this is truly a privilege for her to have this new bed!

NOTE: The pictures went in backwards... They actually start at the bottom!

Easter Morning w/ Papa, and New Haircuts

My Girls with their favorite guy on Easter morning.

Showing off her Baby-Blues the morning after her haircut.

Trying to show off her "naked" baby.

Ruth's turn to fake smile.

Fake smile AND a new haircut.

Because they make me smile, I share...

Nothing new to tell. Mama and Baby are running out of room these days.

Ruth has started taking after her Papa when it comes to getting her picture taken...she makes goofy faces instead of really smiling!

Shalom is starting to talk in sentences! Mostly tangible ones too!

Josh is getting ready for yet another Mexico trip. CMTS heads to Mexico this Friday night.

Edit to add: Josh is NOT going on the trip, he is working on the vehicles being taken on the trip! Sorry for the confusion.

CrossRoads: My Thoughts and Yours (Hopefully)

We have all heard at least one person make the statement, "Just do_______, God is big enough to bless it, or else stop you from doing it." I know that I have made the statement many times. I was told this several times when Josh and I first got engaged. Josh asked God when we should get married, and God told Josh, "Don't think about it." A lot of people had a hard time wrapping their minds around that one, including me. It took me 5 or 6 months to let it sink it. When we finally did get married, everything was perfect. In six weeks time, my Mom had my wedding all planned out according to my wishes. She made my wedding dress in 6 hours. I had tulips in my bouquet (apparently a hard flower to have, because they don't last very long...plus it was mid April). I had a twelve-day honeymoon on a missionary's salary! My in-laws were able to come all the way from Alaska - and God took care of the cost in an unexpected way! Had we "just done it," expecting God to bless it or stop it, how much would it have cost us...financially...emotionally?

One time in Lake Charles, I wanted to see my family. I pushed and pushed Josh about it. I had a pretty good argument too! I had just recently had Ruth, and my parents hadn't seen her. I wanted to show off my Baby Girl! What new Mama can resist the urge to want to place her brand new Baby in her parents arms? Like I said, I had a really good argument, and both Josh and I needed a break. My parents bought us tickets after we got the okay to go. Then we all had a crew meeting with the head of the ministry we were at, all vacation time was taken away. We (the ministry) were leaving for Israel, and needed all crew to be available to help prepare the ship. Um...we had just spent $500 of my parents money to fly home, and now I had to call the airline and get them changed! Changing the tickets was $100 per ticket, making the final ticket price $700 for two people!

For our wedding, we waited PAINFULLY sometimes for God to give us a date (we were engaged 8 months by the time we got married). For the trip home, we went ahead of God, and paid a big price, literally.

My questions: Is one thought right and the other wrong? Is it wrong to go ahead of God, and wait for Him to stop you if that is not the direction He wants you to go in? What if you NEED to figure out what to do with your life, and God isn't talking? I am sure there are stories out there where the second half of this note turned out good (choosing something, and God blessing/stopping it). What are they? Are you willing to share?

Help Comes in All Forms

The Girls eating cookies just out of the oven.

Um...keeping our of Mama's hair while she cooks.

Yep, her too!

"Breaking up" pineapple while Mama makes the juice into syrup for our popovers.

You get the picture.

My girls want to help me. As the title of this post indicates, it could be ANY kind of help. When I am making supper after Josh comes home, Shalom will come over to me and tap my leg, and then use her head to position herself between me and the counter, oven, etc. The girls like to "help" with dishes, which usually consists of some of the plates, utensils, etc ending up in the strainer, but mostly it means Mama and the daughter rinsing will end up wet...me in the ever-growing belly, and the daughter all down the front!

The dish scenario started to irk me...I have been doing dishes for almost 15 years now, I can do the dishes faster, and get them done better WITHOUT help. So why mess with a toddler helping me? Good question.

My girls want to be a part of my day. They want to spend time with me. Sometimes, they are not content to just be in the same room with me...they want to be doing what I am doing. They WANT to help me. They enjoy it when I encourage them by telling them how strong they are, or what a big help they have been. More importantly, though, they are picking up by watching me, what it is that a Mama does. One day, my girls will be doing the dishes, cooking for their siblings - or future husbands, and they will remember the times they spent doing these same tasks with their Mama. Will they be good memories? Will they cherish their time spent with me?

It is my hope, goal and prayer that my girls will look back with joy on the times we have spent together keeping house for their Papa. I pray that they will want to be keepers-at-home someday, because of their time with me. (NOTE: I am not opposed to them getting jobs, etc.)

My Babies are a gift from God to me. I admit, sometimes I lose sight of that (i.e., dishes are piled high, I just want to get them done, and the floor is soaking wet because Shalom dumped water everywhere, etc.), and get frustrated at their lack of help! But they are only toddlers! They are supposed to make messes, and when we are done with the dishes, we all clean up the water (if you think of it, how many people do dishes in the sink and don't have to wipe the counter when they are done)! It is a part of the growing process, and teaches them to clean up after themselves!

Life is a journey - in so many ways - and it is my job as Mama to Ruth and Shalom to make sure they get as much out of their journey right now as possible! A big job...a Mama size job, and I pray I accomplish all that God wants me to!